Each of the below U.S. patents and applications is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,292 discloses a system for optimizing the speed of a boat at a particular throttle setting that utilizes sensed speed changes to vary the boat drive unit position vertically and to vary the drive unit trim position. The measurement of boat speed before and after an incremental change in vertical position or trim is used in conjunction with a selected minimum speed change increment to effect subsequent alternate control strategies. Depending on the relative difference in before and after speeds, the system will automatically continue incremental movement of the drive unit in the same direction, hold the drive unit in its present position, or move the drive unit an incremental amount in the opposite direction to its previous position. The alternate control strategies minimize the effects of initial incremental movement in the wrong direction, eliminate excessive position hunting by the system, and minimize drive unit repositioning which has little or no practical effect on speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,432 discloses adjustment of a power boat's trim tabs that is automated throughout all phases of the operation of the boat. The boat's speed and/or the revolutions of its engine(s) are sensed and used by electronic circuits, including microprocessor-based circuits, to control prime movers, typically hydraulic pumps, in order to move the trim tabs to their optimal position. In one embodiment the boat's speed is sensed by a speedometer. Below a first predetermined speed, the boat's trim tabs are moved full down. Above a second, higher, predetermined speed the trim tabs are moved full up. In another embodiment the trim tabs are further adjusted in and about their up position, and while the boat is on-plane, so as to optimize the performance of the boat. The boat's on-plane performance is monitored by a speedometer or, preferably, by one or more tachometers. After the boat has exceeded the first predetermined speed, after the trim tabs have been initially adjusted to their full up positions, and after the speedometer or tachometer(s) is (are) continuously reading values within some small, preset, range, the trim tabs are perturbed slightly in position. The boat's throttle remains unchanged. After a settling time any effect of the changed trim tab position on the boat's performance is assessed. The trim tabs are moved in position until performance is no longer improved by further perturbations in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,391 discloses an automatically adjustable trim system for a marine propulsion system that provides automatic trimming of the propeller in response to increased loads on the propeller. A propulsion unit is attached to a boat transom through a tilt mechanism including a transom bracket and a swivel bracket. In a first embodiment, the transom bracket is clamped to a flexible transom which flexes in response to forces exerted on the transom during acceleration. In a second embodiment, the transom bracket is clamped to a transom bracket mounting platform that is generally parallel to and pivotally attached to the transom. A trim angle biasing mechanism is mounted between the transom and the transom bracket mounting platform for automatically adjusting the trim angle. A third embodiment includes a trim angle biasing mechanism incorporated into the transom bracket or swivel bracket. A fourth embodiment includes a spring-loaded pawl assembly between the swivel bracket and transom bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,227 discloses a jack plate configured to allow removal of hydraulic components from a fixed portion of the jack plate without having to remove an outboard motor from the jack plate. A mechanical stop device is provided which supports a movable member of the jack plate relative to a stationary member of the jack plate and, as a result, supports the outboard motor even as the hydraulic components are removed from the jack plate. This allows the hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic pump, and motor to be removed from the jack plate by loosening and then detaching a removable bracket member from the jack plate. As a result, the hydraulic system can be inspected, maintained, or replaced without having to remove the outboard motor from the jack plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,416,456 discloses an automatic trim control system that changes the trim angle of a marine propulsion device as a function of the speed of the marine vessel relative to the water in which it is operated. The changing of the trim angle occurs between first and second speed magnitudes which operate as minimum and maximum speed thresholds.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,290,252 discloses systems and methods for controlling trim position of a marine propulsion device on a marine vessel. The system comprises a trim actuator having a first end that is configured to couple to the marine propulsion device and a second end that is configured to couple to the marine vessel. The trim actuator is movable between an extended position wherein the marine propulsion device is trimmed up with respect to the marine vessel and a retracted position wherein the marine propulsion device is trimmed down with respect to the marine vessel. Increasing an amount of voltage to an electromagnet increases the shear strength of a magnetic fluid in the trim actuator thereby restricting movement of the trim actuator into and out of the extended and retracted positions and wherein decreasing the amount of voltage to the electromagnet decreases the shear strength of the magnetic fluid thereby facilitates movement of the trim actuator into and out of the extended and retracted positions. A controller is configured to adapt the amount of voltage to the electromagnet based upon at least one condition of the system.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/873,803, filed Oct. 2, 2015, discloses systems and methods for controlling position of a trimmable drive unit with respect to a marine vessel. A controller determines a target trim position as a function of vessel or engine speed. An actual trim position is measured and compared to the target trim position. The controller sends a control signal to a trim actuator to trim the drive unit toward the target trim position if the actual trim position is not equal to the target trim position and if at least one of the following is true: a defined dwell time has elapsed since a previous control signal was sent to the trim actuator to trim the drive unit; a given number of previous control signals has not been exceeded in an attempt to achieve the target trim position; and a difference between the target trim position and the actual trim position is outside of a given deadband.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/874,848, filed Oct. 5, 2015, discloses a method for automatically controlling a trim position of a trimmable drive unit with respect to a transom of a marine vessel, including retrieving from a memory a stored level trim position of the drive unit, measuring an actual trim position of the drive unit, and determining with a controller whether an absolute difference between the level trim position and the actual trim position exceeds a given threshold. The method also includes determining whether at least one of a plurality of trim-to-level enable conditions indicative of an idle state of an engine powering the drive unit is true. In response to a determination that the absolute difference exceeds the given threshold and that at least one trim-to-level enable condition is true, the method includes sending a control signal with the controller to trim the drive unit to the level trim position. A system for carrying out the method is provided.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/243,101, filed Aug. 22, 2016, discloses a method of controlling trim position of two or more propulsion devices on a marine vessel, including receiving a running trim position for the two or more propulsion devices and receiving at least one of a steering input value or a roll angle of the marine vessel. An adjusted trim position for each of the at least two propulsion devices is then determined based on the running trim position and the steering input value or the roll angle of the marine vessel. A trim actuator for each propulsion device is then operated to move each propulsion device toward its respective adjusted trim position.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/243,285, filed Aug. 22, 2016, discloses a method of controlling trim position for a propulsion device on a marine vessel, including receiving a running trim position for the propulsion device, receiving at least one of a steering input value or a roll angle of the marine vessel, and determining a magnitude of the steering input value or a magnitude of the roll angle of the marine vessel. The method further includes determining an adjusted trim position based on the magnitude of the steering input value or the magnitude of the roll angle of the marine vessel, and operating a trim actuator based on the adjusted trim position to decrease the trim angle of the propulsion device below the running trim position while the marine vessel is turning.